Questions posed to the candidates included how local governments can work together to improve services and save costs, whether they believe Kalamazoo has a racial profiling problem with police based on the traffic stop study results, how the city can maintain vital services in the face of local state and federal government funding cuts, along with other questions.

Several candidates answered the question about how the city can maintain vital services in the face of funding cuts.

"I think everyone in this room understands that we are in a time of change," said Commissioner David Anderson.

Anderson criticized the government shutdown, saying it is frustrating to watch people suffer because of ideologies. He said the city will have to be "laser focused"on having sufficient revenue to support what is only done by the city -- public works, streets, parks and public safety.

Commissioner Bob Cinabro also answered the question about vital services, saying the next city commission will have to face the city's $3.5 million budget shortfall with the new city manager. He said he sees them facing legacy costs, cuts to non-emergency services and legislative reform in Lansing. Cinabro said any kind of revenue source would have to be countywide, and that a city income tax would only drive out people and businesses.

In responding to the question about keeping vital services, Commissioner Stephanie Moore proposed a moratorium on foreclosures in the city in order to keep people in their homes, especially those with sub-prime mortgage loans and balloon payments.

"We need to make sure we keep people in their homes" in order to stabilize the city's tax base, Moore said.

Moore also suggested looking at the non-profits in Kalamazoo, including Western Michigan University, that have properties that aren't on the city's tax rolls. She said the properties need to be put back on the city's tax rolls if they aren't meeting the mission or the vision of those organizations.

Several candidates chose to answer a question about intergovernmental cooperation. Challenger Jack Urban, a former Kalamazoo County commissioner, said he would like to see more cooperation in law enforcement.

"There's a shortage of police in the townships but meanwhile the city of Kalamazoo has a terrifically well-trained police force, as does the sheriff's department," Urban said.

He proposed the creation of a developmental authority that would allow Kalamazoo County jurisdictions to pool tax increment funds and split them according to an agreed-upon formula.

Challenger Nick Boyd also addressed intergovernmental cooperation, saying the city does not have a debt problem but rather an income problem. He said the clearest way he can see a solution is in partnerships. He questioned why the city of Kalamazoo and Kalamazoo Township have police stations near each other on Riverview drive, and said they could reduce the waste of those buildings through partnerships.

In all, 15 candidates are running for seven open seats on the city commission, including six incumbents. Of that pool of 15 candidates, 13 candidates participated in the forum. Not present were challengers Fred Lawrence II and Birletta Bean-Hardeman.

Emily Monacelli is a local government reporter for the Kalamazoo Gazette. Contact her at emonacel@mlive.com or follow her on Twitter.